Carcass head splitting device



Oct. 8, 1963 F. M. cooK ETAL CARCASS HEAD SPLITTING DEVICE Filed May 51, 1960 E 0 MN% -+N m m m m lxiz m on m\ m in B \N QR MN s R .15. a \m. A w

w X K Q R hltifiti Patented Oct. 8, 1963 3,165,993 CARCASS HEAD SPLITHNG DEVIQE Frank M. Cook, San Francisco, and Joseph Bordenave,

South San Francisco, Calirl, assignors to Le Fiell Company, San Francisco, Calif a corporation of (Ialii'ornia Filed May 31, 196i der. No. 32,873 4 Claims. (Cl. 1723) Our present invention relates to animal butchering apparatus and more particularly to a device for splitting the skull of a slaughtered animal.

The object of our invention is to provide a device by which the skull of a slaughtered animal may be split and opened for the recovery of the brain and other edible material 'found therein without damage which might aiiect its salability.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the above purpose which is practical, self contained, eflicicnt and safe in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic fluid operating system by which the skull splitting blade can be moved with considerable power by hydraulic means and which is controlled by an electromagnetic control circuit having operating switches spaced apart to insure a two-handled simultaneous operation thereof when the device is in use.

Other objects and advantages will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1, is a tfiront elevation of our device,

FIGURE 2, is a vertical sectional view or our device taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE -1, looking in direction of arrows,

FIGURE 3, is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electric system employed by our invention, and

FIGURE 4, is a diagrammatic view showing a portion of the hydraulic fluid circulating system employed by our invention.

In the butchering of animals it is desirable to obtain and preserve all edible portions of the carcass of a slaughtered animal and one such item is the brain of a calf which is a highly desirable and salablebyaproduct. The recovery of this item, however, presents the problem of how to obtain the brain without damage as this operation necessarily involves the cracking or splitting of the skull. -It is therefore a durther object and more particular object of our invention to provide a power operated machine by which considerable pressure may be exerted upon the skull by means of a skull engaging blade in a safe, sanitary and effective manner.

For sanitary reasons it is desirable that the apparatus be of a construction which will present a smooth outer surface tree of pockets or crevices in which foreign matter might accumulate and be easily washed between operations.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and '2 of the drawing, the individual parts of our particular head splitting apparatus are enclosed in a housing having a base portion 19 with a vertical rearwardly disposed standard 11 that terminates in an upper forwardly extending arm portion 12 that provides a support for a vertical hydraulic cylinder 13 having therein a piston rod 14 that carries a skull splitting blade 15. Disposed below the blade 15 the housing 10 supports a platen 16 upon which a skull to be split is placed. EX- tending through the front wall of the housing lit are two operation controlling buttons 17 and 18 which, as will be hereinafter described, provide :for the safe operation of the apparatus.

In the operation of our device we employ a combined hydraulic and electromagnetic control in which a selfcontained hydraulic fluid pressure system is provided to the end that the entire device may be moved t-rom one point to another without requiring any localized pipe or other connections. The hydraulic system, as is more clearly shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, includes a fluid containing reservoir 19 with which a circulating pump 20, driven by an electric motor 21, is connected by intake pipe 20' for circulating hydraulic fluid under control of an electromagnetically operated valve 22 having a neutral and two operative positions for controlling the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 13. In the output conduit of the pump 29 there is a pressure regulating valve 23 by which the presssure available for the operation of the skull splitting blade 15 may be set to any desired value. In practice, we employ a pressure of approximately 700 lbs. per square inch. When the electromagnetic valve 22 is operated to effect a skull splitting movement of the blade 15, fluid under pressure will flow through the pressure regulating valve 23, through a discharge pipe 24 to the valve 22 and thence through a conduit 25 that connects with the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder *13 and cause the blade 15 to move downwardly. At the same time fluid will flow from the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder through a conduit 26 and back to the valve 22 for the return to the reservoir 19 through a fluid return pipe 27. When the electromagnetic valve 22 is operated in an opposite direction the flow of hydraulic fluid will 7 be in a reverse order through the conduits 25 and 26 and the splitting blade will be raised.

In FIGURE 3 of the drawing we show schematically the system of connections by which the fluid controlling valve is electromagnetically operated by the two push buttons 17 and 18 which, as shown in FIGURE 1 oi the drawing, are located at widely separate points on the front wall of the enclosing housing 10, whereby the use of both hands of an operator will be required in order to effectively operate the apparatus. In this instance the pump driving motor 21 is shown as independently excited for continuous operation from a separate electrical source of supply consisting of three conductors 28. In the push control system power is taken from conductors 29 and 30. One side of this source of'power is connected by a conductor 31 to one side of each of two electromagnetic solenoid coils 32 and 33. The other side of the electromagnetic solenoid coil 32 is connected through a conductor 34 to a limit switch 35 and, via a conductor 36, to a contact 37 of the push button 17. Another contact 38 of the push button 17 is connected by a conductor 39 to a contact 40 on the push button 18 and when the push buttons 17 and 18 are in their normal inoperative position the circuit will be prepared through the contact 41 of the push button 18, to conductor 29 which forms the other side of the source of electric power. When the push buttons 17 and 18 are in circuit closing position; as here shown, the limit switch 35 will have been actuated by the blade to open this circuit as the skull splitting blade '15 reached its uppermost inoperative position and as a result the solenoid 32 of the fluid control-ling'valve 22 is deenergized. This will permit the fluid controlling valve 22 to return to its neutral position where, as will hereinafter appear, the operating fluid will be recirculated back to the reservoir 19. In order to eflect a downward skull splitting operation of the blade 15 it will be necessary for the operator to actuate both of the push button switches 17 and 18 to establish a circuit leading from the con ductor Silat one side of the power 'line circuit to one side of each of the two solenoid coils 32 and 33 of the hydraulic valve 22' as previously described, and returning through the solenoid coil 33, through a conductor 42 to a contact 43 of'the push button 17 and to .a contact 44 and conductor 45 to a contact 46 of the push button 18 where the circuit will be completed through a contact 47 to the conductor 29 or other side of the source of power.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 4 of the drawing, wherein the hydraulic fluid controlling valve 22 is shown as of the conventional three position type, which when in a central or neutral position, as here shown, is designed to recirculate the fluid from the pump through the pressure relief valve 23 to the reservoir 19 while leaving the two pipe lines 25 and 26, leading respectively to the top and bottom of the cylinder 13, closed. When the push buttons 17 and 18 are in their inoperative or normal position, as shown in FIGURE 3 the valve 22 will assume a central position at this time the limit switch will have opened the circuit of the control buttons 17 and 18 as the blade 15 reached its upper limit of travel following a skull splitting operation and the valve 22 will then return to its neutral position as here shown. Now, when the two push buttons 17 and 18 are simultaneously operated, or pushed in, a circuit will be established from the conductor 29 through contacts 47 and 46 of the push button 18, the conductor to the contacts 44 and 43 of the push button 17 to the conductor 42 to one side of the solenoid coil 33 and back through the conductor 31 to the conductor 30 of the source of power. This will cause the solenoid 33 to operate and move the hydraulic valve 22 toward the right, as here viewed. This will fonrn a direct connection between the fluid source conduits 24 and 25 and cause the blade 15 to move downwardly into splitting engagement with a skull which has been placed upon the platen 16 of the housing 10. As the skull splitting blade is thus moved downwardly the limit switch 35 will be caused to close and thus re-prepare the circuit formed by the conductors 34 and 36 so that when the push buttons 17 and 18 are released the solenoid coil 32 of the hydraulic valve 22 will become energized and thus cause the valve 22 to be operated to the left and establish a cross connection for the fluid supply which will result in reverse operation of the piston 14'upon which the skull splitting blade 15 is mounted. Then, as the limit switch is again engaged and actuated by the blade 15 of the circuit of the solenoid 32 will be again opened and the hydraulic valve 22 will return to its neutral position as here illustrated.

A further and novel feature of our apparatus is that while providing for safe operation at all times it also provides a device which, being self-contained, can be transported about to any one of a number of convenient locations without requiring any complicated fluid or electric power connections other than a plugging in at a convenient electric power wall outlet.

While we have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose our invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated a specific form and arrangement, we desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

-1. In a carcass head splitting device, a completely self contained, readily transportable apparatus, comprising a base structure, a top having a surface area for supporting a carcass head to be split, an elongate structure rising from said top'and carrying an arm overlying said area, a fluid containing reservoir carried by the base structure, an electric motor carried by the base structure, means for conducting electric current from a source to said motor, a fluid circulating purnp connected with and continuously operated by said motor during the use of the apparatus, said pump having an intake means connected p lg with the reservoir and a discharge means, a single piston cylinder supported vertically by said arm and having therein a piston and piston rod positioned for vertical reciprocation relative to said top area, a blade, blade carrying means connecting the blade with said piston rod for vertical reciprocal movement relative to said area, an electromagnetically operate-d fluid valve supported by the apparatus, said valve being of a type having a neutral position and first and second operative positions, first and second valve actuating electromagnets forming a part of the valve structure, said magnets when energized actuating the valve to said first and second operative positions respectively, said valve being in a neutral position when said magnets are tie-energized, fluid conducting conduits connecting said valvewith saidpiston cylinder on opposite sides of the piston therein, fluid conducting con-. duits connecting said valve with said pump intake and discharge means, electric circuitry for each of said valve operating electromagnets, manually operable switch means for selectively opening and closing the circuitry for said electromagnets, said switch means being constructed to close when released from manual control and prepare the circuitry for the first electromagnet for use, a limit switch in the circuitry for said first electromagnet, said limit switch when closed in the prepared circuitry efiecting energization of said first electromagnet for actuating said valve to its first operative position to direct fluid into said cylinder on a side of the piston to move said blade upward, said first electromagnet when de-energized in the prepared circuitry releasing said valve for return to its neutral position, means operating to open the limit switch to de-enengize the first electromagnet when the blade reaches a predetermined limit of upward movement, said manually operable switch means when moved to close the circuitry for the second electromagnet opening the said prepared circuitry of the first electromagnet and effecting movement of the valve to said second operative position to cause downward movement of the blade, and

means operating to close the limit switch during downward movement'of the blade. 7

2; The invention'according to claim 1, wherein the said blade carrying means form the said means operating to open and close the limit switch. 7

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said elongate structure and said arm are hollow and house substantially all of the said fluid conducting conduits together with said valve and electromagnets, and said base stiucture is in the form of a housing which enc-ascs said reservoir, motor and pump.

4. In a carcass head splitting device, a base structure, a top for said structure having a surface are for supporting a carcass head to be split, a closed fluid containing reservoir adjacent to said base, an electric motor adjacent to said reservoir, means for conducting electric current from a source to said motor, a fluid circulating pump adjacent to and connected with said motor and continuously operated by said rrnotor during the use of the device, said. pump having an intake means connected with the reservoir and a discharge means, a single piston cylinder supported vertically above said top and having therein apiston and piston rod positioned for verticalreciproca tion relative to said top area, a blade, blade carrying means connecting the blade with the piston rod for vertical reciprocation relative to the underlying area, an electromagnetieally operated fluid valve supported by the structure, said valve being of a type having a neutral position and first and second operative positionafirst and second valve actuating electromagnets forming a part of' said valve structure, said magnets when energized actuating said valve-to said first and second operative positions, said valve being in neutral positon when said magnets are de-energized, fluid conducting conduits connecting I said valve with said pump intake and discharge means, electric circuitry for each of said valve operating electromagnets, manually operable switch means for selectively opening and closing the circuitry for said electromagnets, said switch means being constructed to close when release-d from manual control and prepare the circuitry for the first electromagnet for use, a limit switch in the circuitry for said first electromagnet, said limit switch when closed in the prepared circuitry effecting energization of said first electromagnet for actuating said valve to its first operative position to direct fluid into said cylinder on a side of the piston to move the said blade upward, said first electromagnet when deenergized in the prepared circuit releasing said valve for return to its neutral position, means operating to open the limit switch to de-energize the first electromagnet when the blade reaches a predetermined limit of upward movement, said manual switch means when moved to close the circuitry for the second electromagnet, opening the said prepared circuitry of the first electromagnet and effecting movement of the valve to said second operative position to cause downward movement of the blade, and means operating to close the limit switch during downward movement of the blade.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,829,389 Carpenter et a1. Apr. 8, 1958 2,922,280 Rehlander Ian. 26, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 694,746 Great Britain July 29, 1953 

1. IN A CARCASS HEAD SPLITTING DEVICE, A COMPLETE SELF CONTAINED, READILY TRANSPORTABLE APPARATUS, COMPRISING A BASE STRUCTURE, A TOP HAVING A SURFACE AREA FOR SUPPORTING A CARCASS HEAD TO BE SPLIT, AN ELONGATED STRUCTURE RISING FROM SAID TOP AND CARRYING AN ARM OVERLYING SAID AREA, A FLUID CONTAINER RESERVOIR CARRIED BY THE BASE STRUCTURE, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR CARRIED BY THE BASE STRUCTURE, MEANS FOR CONDUCTING ELECTRIC CURRENT FROM A SOURCE TO SAID MOTOR, A FLUID CIRCULATING PUMP CONNECTED WITH AND CONTINUOUSLY OPERATED BY SAID MOTOR DURING THE USE OF THE APPARATUS, SAID PUMP HAVING AN INTAKE MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE RESERVOIR AND A DISCHARGE MEANS, A SINGLE PISTON CYLINDER SUPPORTED VERTICALLY BY SAID ARM AND HAVING THEREIN A PISTON AND PISTON ROD POSITIONED FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATION RELATIVE TO SAID TOP AREA, A BLADE, BLADE CARRYING MEANS CONNECTING THE TABLE WITH SAID PISTON ROD FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID AREA, AN ELECTROMAGNETICALLY OPERATED FLUID VALVE SUPPORTED BY THE APPARATUS, SAID VALVE BEING OF A TYPE HAVING A NEUTRAL POSITION AND FIRST AND SECOND OPERATIVE POSITIONS, FIRST AND SECOND VALVE ACTUATING ELECTROMAGNETS FORMING A PART OF THE VALVE STRUCTURE, SAID MAGNETS WHEN ENERGIZED ACTUATING THE VALVE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPERATIVE POSITIONS RESPECTIVELY, SAID VALVE BEING IN A NEUTRAL POSITION WHEN SAID MAGNETS ARE DE-ENERGIZED, FLUID CONDUCTING CONDUITS CONNECTING SAID VALVE WITH SAID PISTON CYLINDER ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PISTON THEREIN, FLUID CONDUCTING CONDUITS CONNECTING SAID VALVE WITH SAID PUMP INTAKE AND DISCHARGE MEANS, ELECTRIC CIRCUITRY FOR EACH OF SAID VALVE OPERATING ELECTROMAGNETS, MANUALLY OPERABLE SWITCH MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY OPENING AND CLOSING THE CIRCUITRY FOR SAID ELECTROMAGNETS, SAID SWITCH MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO CLOSE WHEN RELEASED FROM MANUAL CONTROL AND PREPARE THE CIRCUITRY FOR THE FIRST ELECTROMAGNET FOR USE, A LIMIT SWITCH IN THE CIRCUITRY FOR SAID FIRST ELECTROMAGNET, SAID LIMIT SWITCH WHEN CLOSED IN THE PREPARED CIRCUITRY EFFECTING ENERGIZATION OF SAID FIRST ELECTROMAGNET FOR ACTUATING SAID VALVE TO ITS FIRST OPERATIVE POSITION TO DIRECT FLUID INTO SAID CYLINDER ON A SIDE OF THE PISTON TO MOVE SAID BLADE UPWARD, SAID FIRST ELECTROMAGNET WHEN DE-ENERGIZED IN THE PREPARED CIRCUIT RELEASING SAID VALVE FOR RETURN TO ITS NEUTRAL POSITION, MEANS OPERATING TO OPEN THE LIMIT SWITCH TO DE-ENERGIZE THE FIRST ELECTROMAGNET WHEN THE BLADE REACHES A PREDETERMINED LIMIT OF UPWARD MOVEMENT, SAID MANUALLY OPERABLE SWITCH MEANS WHEN MOVED TO CLOSE THE CIRCUIT FOR THE SECOND ELECTROMAGNET OPENING THE SAID PREPARED CIRCUITRY OF THE FIRST ELECTROMAGNET AND EFFECTING MOVEMENT OF THE VALVE TO SAID SECOND OPERATIVE POSITION TO CAUSE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF THE BLADE, AND MEANS OPERATING TO CLOSE THE LIMIT SWITCH DURING DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF THE BLADE. 